Israel Strikes Yemen’s Capital in Retaliation as Houthis Launch Cluster Bomb at Tel Aviv: Are We Seeing the Next Phase of Middle East War?
Israeli fighter jets struck multiple targets in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, on Sunday, killing at least two people and damaging critical infrastructure, according to Houthi officials.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the airstrikes, calling them a response to recent missile and drone attacks launched by the Iran-backed Houthi movement against Israel.
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| Image Source: Current Report |
The IDF said the targets included a site inside the presidential palace compound, the Asar and Hizaz power plants, a fuel storage facility, and other locations it described as used for “military activity by the Houthi terrorist regime.”
Al-Masirah TV, the Houthis’ media arm, condemned the strikes as “aggression.”
Over 10 jets of the Israeli Air Force flew over 2,000 km from Israel to Yemen and dropped approximately 35 munitions on the Houthis.
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) August 24, 2025
Israel shows the world how to deal with radical Islam like a boss. pic.twitter.com/xpoQyhMJzB
The airstrikes follow a Friday night incident in which the Houthis fired a surface-to-surface missile armed with a cluster warhead toward Israel -- the first confirmed use of such a weapon by the group in the ongoing conflict.
Although the missile did not cause any injuries or reported damage, an Israeli Air Force official said it marks a significant escalation and suggests enhanced capabilities likely supplied by Iran.
Since the October 7, 2023 start of the Israel-Hamas war, the Houthis have repeatedly launched drone and missile attacks at Israel, positioning themselves as defenders of the Palestinian cause.
While most of these attempts have been intercepted, they have triggered retaliatory airstrikes on Houthi-controlled territory.
⚡ Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, & IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir monitoring the attack on Yemen a short time ago from Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
— OSINT Updates (@OsintUpdates) August 24, 2025
As per initial reports two Houthi senior commanders killed in the strikes, though this… pic.twitter.com/0Ga1ZEcJXh
The Houthis have also severely disrupted global trade in the Red Sea, targeting over 100 ships between November 2023 and December 2024.
The attacks briefly halted after a ceasefire agreement was brokered by the U.S. in May 2025.
However, the Houthis clarified that the deal only covered maritime routes and not targets they consider linked to Israel.
Sunday’s strikes also come amid escalating violence in Gaza. Israeli forces continued operations in Gaza City and other parts of the Strip, reportedly killing more than 30 Palestinians in a single day, including children and civilians seeking aid.
The toll from the war has now surpassed 62,600 Palestinians killed and more than 157,000 wounded, according to Gaza health officials.
Israel continues to face international scrutiny following a UN panel’s famine declaration for northern Gaza, attributing the crisis to Israel's months-long blockade of food and humanitarian aid.
Israeli Air Force is BOMBING the Houthi terrorists in Yemen. FAFO. pic.twitter.com/8qofpGtV5T
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) August 24, 2025
The humanitarian situation, coupled with intensifying regional spillovers, underscores the growing complexity of the conflict.
Observers warn that the latest escalation in Yemen risks expanding the Israel-Hamas war into a broader regional confrontation involving Iran-backed groups across multiple fronts.